You want to be a Commando, eh?
Commando Basics Alright, let me start off with the basics. First, and foremost, we can be ranged tankers or ranged damage dealers. But one of the most crucial things I have found in the Commando is BLOCK VALUE. Commandos are inteneded for blocking, rather than dodging, evading, parry etc. BLOCK CHANCE increases the chance you'll be able to block something, whereas BLOCK VALUE increases the amount you block. Now since we don't exactly have a great amount of constitution like Jedi in some instances, it'd be wise to stack some Constitution. Also, depending whether you're trying to tank or do alot of damage, you either want extra precision or strength. PvE and PvP? Alot of us have a really good setup in expertise, power ups, and attachments for PvP. However, this doesn't always mean that you can knock down a Tusken Warlord and live. I would greatly recommend setting up a tanking Commando for PvE. Usually this means doing enough damage to move your opponent's health, while keeping most of yours. However if you're struggling with PvP, I would recommend going with damage dealing, since the goal there would be to kill your opponent first. Damage Dealing Alright, let's get to the fun parts. For damage dealing in PvP, I would recommend you stack Critical Chance. Along with that, Heavy Weapon Damage Increase, and Heavy Weapon Action Cost (note have these on exotics). For your basic attachments, I would recommend stacking Precision, Consitution, and Block Chance. The Critical Chance Increase part increases the chance you land a high damage attack. Heavy Weapon Damage Increase greatly helps as well and is a good compliment to the critical chances. Tanking Ok, so alot of you want to learn a few pointer on how to tank a Krayt. Well fact of the matter is, I'm still sort of working on that. Good news is: there's a way to tank gold elites. Stack Block Value, Strength, and Constitution for your Basic Attachments. For the Exotics, stack Block Value, Block Chance, and Glancing Blow Increase. Also, for PvE on a boss, a good tip, is to use a capped flamer, and keep laying down DOTs, healing everytime, popping Stand Fast, ONLY when you have like 1/4 health left, and using Riddle Armor and Suppressing Fire every chance you get. Remember: if you have a PvE setup, don't expect it to work all that well in PvP. Note: I've been testing on TestCenter with the PvE suit. It works well, but I've only been using a Heavy Republic Flamer. It has about 1200 DPS with 35 DOT. So if you can find a better flamer, you'll do just fine. Wait...Glancing Blow? What the heck is that? Yeah, I've heard a few people say that Jedi are supposed to stack Glancing Blow for PvE. Well, sorry Mr. Sidious, but we all can. This thing really helps when stacked with BV and BC. Glancing Blow dramatically decreases damage dealt to you in combat whenever you see the flytext. Think of Glancing Blows as disposable one use Stand Fasts that you have in an unlimited supply and only occurs every so often/very often. (Depending on how much you stacked) Back up, what about Power Ups? I was getting to that, be patient =P Ok, for Damage Dealers, grab Critcal Hit Increase. For Tankers grab Glancing Blow Increase. Templates What's a guide without those nifty little pointers on templates? For Damage Dealer: On the Commando side of the template, take the two innate armor bonuses. Then grab the Damage Decrease enhancement. Below that should be every Commando's dream: Stand Fast. Grab it. And its little bonus. Next, grab Riddle Armor, and put only one point into Improved Riddle Armor. Forget Armor Shredder and Suppressing Fire. After that, be sure to pick out ALL of You'll Regret That. That's a VERY handy tool. Then get Stim armor and DOT Absorbtion. In the Assault side, take the whole Postion Secured line. After that nab Focused Beam, Tibanna Gas, and Lethal Beam. NOTE: DO NOT SPAM LETHAL BEAM AND FOCUSED BEAM. Spam just the It Burns! ability and Riddle Armor when it cools down. For Tankers: Commando side get the armor increasers, damage reducer, and Stand Fast. Then get Riddle Armor, Improved Riddle Armor, Suppressing Fire, and Improved Suppressing Fire. Then get You'll Regret That. Assault side you need the full Postiton Secured line, Focused Beam, and 1 point in Tibanna Gas. Also for Heroic Jewlry, I recommend the Frontman set. Notes This is my first guide, and I am still working on TestCenter to find critical flaws. My Commando's Name is TK-CLXXIV, my Officer is TK-CXXIV, and my Bounty Hunter is GK-CXXV. Keep in mind these are my toons on TestCenter. Special Thanks Special Thanks go to Sithlicher, Jellly, and Op-woce, for their outstanding help in the creation of this guide, all of whom are fellow testers.